Showing posts with label handmade. Show all posts
Showing posts with label handmade. Show all posts

WIN a Custom Designed Apron by Haute Mess Threads | Foodie Friday Giveaway


WIN a Custom Designed Apron by Haute Mess Threads (Giveaway)

Have you ever had a moment when you really wanted to complete something, but didn't know how, so you quickly determined that you'd do whatever it took in order to learn whatever you needed to so that you could accomplish what you wish you could do? Yeah, that's the thought process of people with creative ideas. It begins as one simple desire that starts to snowball after you've put your mind to something. It doesn't matter if you DON'T yet know how to do something, all you need to do is, at a minimum, resolve that you truly wish to learn how to make it possible then go from there. That's what my Sister did. She decided one day that it was imperative that she learn how to sew without any previous knowledge or training. And that's exactly what she did.

In just a few shorts weeks, Stacy purchased a new sewing machine, absorbed all the materials and tutorials she possibly could, and before she knew it she was designing pieces of her own. I was amazed at how fast her sewing skills developed in such a short period of time. Stacy is a Jane of all trades. She's done a little bit of everything (plumbing, massage, boxing, rapping, you name it), but sewing is definitely her thing. In fact, she's enjoyed it so much that she decided to open her own Etsy shop called Haute Mess Threads!

This past summer, on a trip back to my hometown, my Sister and I made plans to do a photoshoot to showcase her handmade aprons. I wanted to help my sister with this new venture, and I was really excited that I would get to contribute by making the images come to life for her. We waited until the very end of our stay to make it happen, but everything ended up coming together perfectly. I had no idea what sort of lighting we would have in the model's kitchen, nor did I know what it would look like, thankfully, it was exactly the style we were looking for. The photoshoot was a success, and we had a blast!

Currently, she's made 28+ sales in her shop since opening at the end of July. Things have moved along a lot more quickly than she initially imagined. In the Haute Mess Threads shop, you will find aprons, pot holders, and make-up brush holders along with many other items. Soon, Stacy plans to start working on garments such as skirts and dresses with a pin up look. That type of clothing isn't always easy to find, which is why the idea to sew her own clothes came about. For now, though, she mainly offers custom-made aprons for ladies (styles for men are in the works as well) who want to look fabulous while they prepare dinner! (or for other non-cooking related things, like a creative Halloween costume.) My favorite so far is the Wonder Woman apron she recently made.

We thought it would be fun to do a giveaway here on Wayfaring Wanderer because 1.) she is one of my biggest supporters, and 2.) why not?!


Here's what you have to do in order to WIN a custom designed apron by Haute Mess Threads:


  1. Go the the HMTs Etsy shop (http://www.etsy.com/shop/HauteMessThreads) & select your favorite item; post the item's link on the HMTs Facebook page. While you're there, tell her what design you'd like to see!

  2. “Like” Discovery Photography and Design on Facebook; post on the wall that you are a new fan from Haute Mess Threads by tagging the page. (This is my new photography/graphic design website. Find out more here.)

  3. Return to this blog post and leave a comment once you've completed each step!


You will gain one entry for completing these easy steps. If you are already a fan of these pages, simply complete the other steps, and post a comment as outlined. The contest will end on October 3rd at midnight eastern time. Upon verification, a winner will be selected at random the very next day on October 4th! Please note: because the apron is custom-made, it will take approximately 10-14 days before the item ships. Thank you for participating, and good luck :D

(UPDATE: THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED & A WINNER HAS BEEN CHOSEN)

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Handmade Book


TN Book Cover

Here is the cover I made for a 4 x 6 mini-book.
I scanned in our Smoky Mountain map for the background, and added the text in photoshop.

I have wanted to do a little scrapbook of our trip to Tennessee,
and finally found this quick and easy tutorial on how to do so using very basic supplies.

For weeks I have been scouring the internet in search of an easy way to bind my own books.
I have found some decent tutorials, but I wasn't ready to devote the time required.
Until I found this tutorial, it's not new, I saw it a while ago.....
but I forgot about it.

Handmade Book

I don't really do scrapbook pages,
so I thought that this would be perfect to put all of our trip details,
photos, & other misc. paraphernalia I tend to pick up when I'm away from home.
I'm still working on the inside pages at the moment, but when it's done,
I'll probably share it with you.


What do you usually do with your trip/vacation memorabilia?